Wipe dispenser

ABSTRACT

The instant invention provides a handheld device for cleaning surfaces. The improved device of this disclosure comprises a compartment for used wipes. This storage compartment is attachable to the bottom of the dispenser. The storage compartment may have a lid to open the compartment and empty the compartment. The storage compartment may also be fully detachable from the clean tissue unit and fully disposable. Alternatively the detached compartment may be emptied and reattached to the clean tissue unit.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority of provisional application No.61/062,190 filed on Jan. 24, 2008.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of wipe dispensers and wipingsurfaces. More particularly the invention relates to a device containingstorage for used wipes and allowing wiping without touching the wipe.Furthermore, the invention relates to an accessory device that can beattached to key chain, purse or any other convenient place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,677, issued for the inventor of this application,provides a wipe dispensing device and a novel method for dispensingwipes where the user may hold the device by hand and clean the desiredsurface with the device without having to manually manipulate or enterinto contact with the wipe itself until its disposal.

U.S. Pat. No. 7, 014,062, provides a wipe dispenser that contains astorage unit for used wipes. The storage unit of this invention iseither a chamber latched at the bottom of the dispenser with hinges or azip-lock bag attached to the side of the dispenser. The container ofthis invention is rather bulky and does not allow carrying the containerin every day situations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, there is a need for a device that is small and light enoughto be attached to backpack, purse, keys, pants, stroller etc and therebybe suitable to be carried along in every day situations. There is aclear need for such small device to enable cleaning of surfaces withouttouching the wipes and storing the used wipes when there is no trash canavailable.

The instant invention provides the needed device and method. The deviceaccording to this disclosure allows cleaning of surfaces withouttouching the wipes with hand. Moreover, the device according to thecurrent disclosure is small and light and can be attached to backpack,purse, key chain, stroller, and so on. Thus, the instant inventionprovides a device that can be available in everyday life situations. Thedevice according to the instant invention comprises a compartment forused wipes. This storage compartment is attachable to the bottom of thedispenser. The storage compartment may have a lid to open thecompartment and empty the compartment. The storage compartment may alsobe fully detachable from the clean tissue unit and fully disposable.Alternatively the detached compartment may be emptied and reattached tothe clean tissue unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the device. A. Front view ofthe devise. B. Detached storage compartment. The compartment can bereattached on the bottom of the device. C. Bottom view of the device.The slit opening on the storage compartment allows used wipes to bepushed through.

FIG. 2 shows the device and detached storage compartment where a usedwipe is pushed through slit opening on the bottom of the storagecompartment.

FIG. 3 shows another preferred embodiment of the device. A. Front viewof the devise. B. Front view of the trash compartment. The compartmentis open at the top and can be easily emptied and reattached to the cleanwipe compartment by snapping or twisting the top of the trashcompartment to the bottom of the clean wipe compartment. C. Front viewof the trash compartment where a used wipe is pushed into thecompartment through the slidable window. D. Bottom view of the trashcompartment, where a button at the bottom is controlling opening of thesliding door.

FIG. 4. shows yet another preferred embodiment of the devise. A. Frontview of the device. B. Front view of the trash compartment. C. Frontview of the trash compartment where a used wipe is pushed in thecompartment through a slidable window. D. Detached trash compartmentwith a closed top. The compartment is trashed once the compartment isfull.

FIG. 5. shows still another preferred embodiment of the devise. A. Frontview of the devise. B. Front view of the trash compartment. C. Frontview of the trash compartment where a used wipe is pushed through a slitopening on the side of the storage compartment.

FIGS. 6 A and B shows the device attached to a key chain.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Most wipe dispensing devices present in the prior art are containersthat have an opening, enabling the consumer to manually remove the wipefrom said device and subsequently disinfect and/or clean the desiredsurface. Therefore, user must place the wipe into contact with his orher hand and with the surroundings before the cleaning process. Due tothis manual contact, the disinfecting properties of a wipe may bealtered, and the disinfecting and cleaning may not be effective asintended. Moreover, the dispensing devices known in the prior art doeither not have a compartment for storing used wipes or they are bulkyand big for allowing the user to carry the device along in everydaysituations.

The instant disclosure provides a light and small device that comprisesa wipe dispenser that isolates the wipes from the exterior of the deviceand simultaneously allows cleaning without touching the wipe. The devicealso contains a detachable container for used wipes. Moreover, theinvention according to the instant invention can be carried along byhanging the small device for example to a purse, backpack, keychain,pants.

The wipe-dispensing device according to the instant invention comprisesa dispenser or container that keeps wipes isolated from the exterior ofthe device. The wipes are kept in the inner compartment of the dispenseror container. The top or lid of the device isolates the wipes in theinner compartment from the exterior. This top or lid also secures thecontainer from air, and seals the interior and exterior compartments ofthe device. The wipes are exposed when user manually presses a button onthe lid or activate a sliding door, which in turn shall expose thewiping surface of the wipe inside of the container. Therefore, the restof the wipes are not exposed to the exterior, only the wipe that is inuse. User may manually handle the device, expose the wipe for cleaningthe desired surface, and thereafter user may pull the used wipe anddetach it from the device by tearing off with a cutter slot on a side ofthe device. The structure of the basic device is described and shown inU.S. Pat. No. 7,195,677, issued to the instant inventor and the patentis incorporated herein by reference.

The improved device according to this discloser additionally contains acompartment for used wipes 1. This compartment is attached to the bottomof the clean wipe compartment 2 and is easily detachable by twisting orsnapping from the clean wipe compartment. According to one embodiment ofthe improved device, this storage compartment has a lid 3 that can beopened to empty the storage at the convenience of the user (FIG. 1). Thelid may also contain a slit opening 4 through which the user can pushused wipes into the storage space (FIGS. 1 B and C). Alternatively aslidable window 6 locates on a wall of the storage compartment (FIG. 3and FIG. 4) and the window can be opened by manually sliding it.Alternatively the door is opened and closed by a mechanism controlled bya button 7 at the bottom of the storage compartment (FIG. 3 D).According to one preferred embodiment used wipes are pushed through aslit opening 4 on the side of the storage compartment (FIG. 5) Accordingto another preferred embodiment of the improved device, the storagecompartment has an open top 8 and the compartment is twisted or snappedto the bottom of the clean wipe compartment (FIG. 3). Once the storagecompartment is full, it can be twisted or snapped off and emptied fromits open top. According to yet another embodiment, the storagecompartment has a solid top 9, and it is detachable from the clean wipecompartment by twisting or snapping (FIG. 4). Once the compartment isfull, it is snapped or twisted off and discarded as such. According tothis embodiment, the trash compartment is made of material degradable inthe nature. Once the full storage compartment is detached a new emptycompartment can be attached to the clean wipe compartment. The devicealso has a clip or holder 10 to attach the device to key chain, beltclip, purse or any other convenient place (FIG. 6).

The advantages of the improved device according to this disclosureinclude the portability of the device, detachable compartment for usedwipes, a lid to empty the storage compartment, or alternatively anopen-top trash compartment for easy emptying, or still alternatively astorage compartment that can be trashed when full. An opening to allowpushing the used wipes through into the storage compartment may be aslidable window or slit opening. Moreover, the instant disclosureprovides a device that is small and light enough to be carried along.For this purpose, the disclosure provides a clip or hook in the deviceto attach it to key chain, belt clip or any other convenient place.

The improved device according to this disclosure can be made from anysuitable material. A person skilled in the art will understand thatinvention according to this disclosure may be conducted with variouschanges without dividing from the idea of this invention.

1. A handheld cleaning device comprising a clean wipe compartment and astorage compartment, said clean wipe compartment comprising a slidingdoor that opens and closes a window allowing exposure of a clean wipe toa desired surface, said storage compartment being attachable to theclean wipe compartment by twisting or snapping, and said storagecompartment further comprising an opening through which a used wipe isinserted into the storage compartment.
 2. The device of claim 1, whereinthe clean wipe compartment is a cylinder with closed bottom and closedtop, said storage compartment is a cylinder with a closed bottom andopen top for emptying the storage compartment, and the storagecompartment is attachable to bottom of the clean wipe compartment bytwisting or snapping the open top to the closed bottom of the clean wipecompartment.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the opening of thestorage compartment is a slidable window.
 4. The device of claim 3,wherein the slidable window is opened by pushing a button on bottom ofthe storage compartment.
 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the openingis a slit opening.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the clean wipecompartment is a cylinder with closed bottom and closed top, saidstorage compartment is a cylinder with a closed bottom and closed top,and the storage compartment is attachable to bottom of the clean wipecompartment by twisting or snapping the closed top of the storagecompartment to the closed bottom of the clean wipe compartment.
 7. Thedevice of claim 6, wherein the storage compartment is discarded when itis full.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the storage compartment ismade of degradable material.
 9. The device of claim 6, wherein thebottom of the storage compartment comprises a lid through which thecompartment can be emptied.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein thedevice comprises a loop for holding keys.